A half-mile stretch of Pacific Avenue between South 46th Street and South 56th Street, which includes 55 licensed businesses, has been designated the Pacific Avenue Business District Association (PABDA) and added to the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood Business District Program (NBDP).

According to a March 15 memo written by Ryan Petty, Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development Director, the new district met the requirements of the application process and was officially recognized March 1. PABDA members will now work with City staff on planning for physical improvements, streetscape enhancements, promotional activities, and economic development opportunities. Decorative banners will be installed throughout the core district.

According to the City of Tacoma’s Web site, the NBDP was created in 1991 “as a direct response to the community’s request that neighborhood enhancements become a top priority . . . [so the] NBDP [could] bring positive growth and sustainable improvements to the business communities.”

The program expanded from 12 districts in 1999 to 15 in 2006. Today, the NBDP includes the Dome Business District; Fern Hill Business District; Lincoln International Business District; McKinley Hill Business District; Oakland Madrona Business District; Old Town Business District; Portland Avenue Business District; Proctor Business District; Ruston Pt Defiance Business District; Sixth Avenue Business District; South Tacoma Business District; Stadium Business District; Tacoma Narrows Business District; Upper Tacoma Business District; and now the Pacific Avenue Business District.